Superstar chef Michael Chiarello dead at age 61

Michael Chiarello, the host of the Emmy-winning series Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello that began airing on Food Network in 2003, has died. He passed away Saturday (October 7) in Napa, California at the too young age of 61 years old.

According to CNN he had an acute allergic reaction for an unknown reason and went into anaphylactic shock. He died after being at Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa for several days.

Chiarello was one of the first chefs to emerge from Food Network and become known for more then just his cooking. Many called him one of the “O.G.s” of the cable channel and he also was featured on Top Chef and Iron Chef America.

Michael Chiarello was a noted chef, wine maker, cookbook author and entrepreneur.

Chiarello graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1982 and was quickly named Chef of the Year by Food & Wine Magazine in 1985. He opened his first restaurant, Tra Vigne, in Napa Valley 1986 and over the years opened 10 more in the Northern California area.

But Chiarello was perhaps best known for his Emmy winning cooking series East Entertaining with Michael Chiarello. The series premiered on Food Network in 2003 and would go on to air for 10 seasons. He would also appear on Top Chef, the Today Show and various versions of Iron Chef over the course of his career.

Chiarello’s family released a statement’s as reported by CNN about the huge loss to the culinary world.

"“We deeply mourn the loss of our beloved patriarch Michael. His culinary brilliance, boundless creativity, and unwavering commitment to family were at the core of his being. He brought people together through the joy of shared meals, fostering lasting memories around the table.“As we navigate this profound loss, we hold dear the moments we cherished with him, both in his kitchens and in our hearts. His legacy will forever live on in the love he poured into every dish and the passion he instilled in all of us to savor life’s flavors.”"

For those that wish to honor Chiarello’s memory, his family asked that you make a donation to Meals on Wheels, who help feed over 2 million senior citizens across the country.

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